Magazine pencil



S. B. HARRIS MAGAZINE PENCIL July 24, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 50, 1949 INVENTOR ATTORNEY J y 24, 1951 s. B. HARRIS 2,561,509

MAGAZINE PENC IL Filed Aug. 30, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l N VEN TOR i. SamuelB. Harris ATTORNEY patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE MAGAZINE PENCIL Samuel B. Harris, st. Petersburg, Fla. Application August 30, 1949, Serial No. 113,071

The present invention relates to magazine pencils and more particularly to a lead selecting and feeding arrangement for such pencils.

It is an object of this invention to provide a magazine lead pencil wherein means are provided for positive selection and feeding of any individual lead desired from the lead magazine. .Another object is: toprovide in combination with .a rotatable lead magazine, a single lead carrier adapted to project any one of the leads selected from the lead magazine to writing position. i

Another object is to provide in a lead carrier, a novel clutch head for gripping and releasing selected pieces of lead. ,A further object is to provide in combination. a reciprocable leadcarrier and clutch member for use with a rotatable lead magazine arranged for selecting and feeding leads one at a time from individual lead holding channels ofthe rotatable lead magazine, the lead magazine being operatively connected to a selector cap and being locked against rotation while the lead carrier is forward in writing position or in a .channel of the lead magazine, and it being unlocked for rotation only when thelead carrier and itsclutch member is completely retracted from theflead magazine and the cap thereby released to permit rotation of the lead magazine. a Still a further object is to provide means adapted to prevent reciprocationof the lead carrier when in its upper position, until thelead magazine is unlocked to permit rotation thereof into desired lead selecting positions, whereby it ispractically impossible to wrongly operate the pencil. 1 Another object is to provide in a magazine lead pencil, novel means forautomatically releasing a piece of lead from the lead carrier jawsof the device comprising a plurality oflead end engaging projections operatively associated with the head end of each lead cylinder in the magazine, said projections being so arranged, shaped and proportioned as to spread apart the lead gripping jaws of the lead clutch "and carrier when it is retracted from a lead cylinder of the magazine while engaged against the upper end of a piece of lead between clutch jaws of the lead carrier. ""Aiurther object is to provide a magazine pencil with single lead'oarrier means and fewer parts, whereby the device is economical to manufacture, easily assembled and very durable. I The above and further objects and advantages ar the present invention will more fully appear 7 Claims. (01. i2o-14.3)

from the following detailed description thereof, in which two forms of apparatus for practicing the invention are described and illustrated with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawingsr Fig. 1 is a longitudinal side View of the present invention with a partial cross section of the barrel, lead magazine and one form of the lead release clutch jaw lead raking projections for engaging the top ends of the, leads.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross section view of the pencil barrel and tip with the lead magazine in side elevation therein. L

Fig. 3 is a transverse cross section view on the line 3-3 of Fig.2 of the pencil tip and lead clutching fingers of the tip shown in lead gripping position. 1 l

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3, but with the fingersreleased from lead gripping position.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view in perspective 0! the pencil barrel partly in section at the lead releasing station and of the pencil tip portion and conical clutch finger actuating sleeve with the cap and lead magazine removed.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the said cap and lead magazine.

Fig. 7 is aperspective view of the lead carrier and its clutch showing the connection thereof to the lead index ring.

Fig. 8 is a transverse section through the pencil barrel taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 2, to show the lead release and clutch jaw spreader or lead raking projections Fig. 9 is a transverse section taken on the line 9--9 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 10 is a magnified fragmentary view of one of the lead and clutch release or lead raking projections showing it in the act of spreading the clutch jaws and releasing or raking out the lead.

Fig. 11 is a slightly modified showing of the lead and clutch release arrangement showing it asan integral part of the upper end of the lead magazine.

Referring to the drawings, and first with particular reference to Fig. 5, there is shown a hollow barrel I ll having a pointed tip I l and an open butt end l2. The tipend of the barrel is formed with a plurality of slots to thereby form aplurality of clutch fingers l3. Mounted over the tip ll is a conical sleeve M. This sleeve I4 is formed with an outer knurled portion l5 at its relatively larger open end around the outer periphery thereof. The base of each of the clutch fingers I3 is formed with a head or small humps It. These coact with the interior surfaces of indentations H formed in the internal bore at the base of the conical sleeve I4 to compress the free ends of the fingers [3 into gripping engagement with a piece of lead when projecting in writing position from the tip of the sleeve 14. The turning of the sleeve M thus serves to contract or squeeze together the clutch fingers 13 formed in the tip portion of the barrel 10 for the purpose of gripping lead which has been pr-jected to writing position, see Figs; 3 and 4, by the lead carrier or plunger to be hereinafter described.

The barrel It, shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, may be made of any suitable material, such as sym thetic plastic resin compounds and is preferably either transparent or translucentto add to the attractive appearance of the-pencil. lf hetrans parent barrel has an additional advantage in that this facilitates location of the leads and several parts of the pencil in case of possible mis- ,use .or breakage. The open butt end I12 of the barrel is formed with anelongated longitudinally extending slot 18 to receive akey I19 which connects with a resilient elongated spring shaft 29. This shaft 29 carries a clutch member '2! for gripping pieces of lead which are selected, .as hereinafter described, and projected forward into the point of the pencil to writing position.

The clutch 21 comprises a pair of resilient iaw members 2 l and 2=2,.see Fig. 7; 'lhesejaw members are flared outwardly at their .ends and progress to a semi-circular section portion 23 so that the opposed faces of each jaw presents a circular gripping portion for the lead. Formed with or secured to the outer end of the key [ii is an index ring 24. Thisindex ring is preferably transparent and encircles the barrel in adjacent the barrel butt end l2. This butt end I2 is marked with a plurality ofspaced numerals around its periphery to indicate the number of each piece of lead 1, 2, 3, t, 5, 8, or 8 contained in the lead magazine 25', 'see Figs. 1 and -5. Al s o, this sleeve 24 is formed with a plurality of open ended notches 28 which are positioned oppositeeach of the said numerals and are adapted to cooperate, as hereih iisr ex ine th ah in ite w n e .2 ca ried by a' turnable cap 27, which f ts over the open butt end l2 of the barrel I g. I

Exten g hem th ear ier o th can s a sha t 2.3- h an e d e the S af s-he ed n the ei h by squar n 3. so as to he r tatable therewith and the cap is. formed with knu d P r i ns 29 arched it est r P r he to facilitate the turning thereof, see Fig. 2, The a 2? an urn nl h n he sle 25' i e most on the barrel 1!). and clutch 2i is entirely fre m a ine .2 h re na ter exp a n d- The hd .0? h S h 23 th t s oppo ite t he cap extends through a central bore formed in the lea m gaz 2 and i weld c r k d ere S tha the azines ota bl by m tion impart d e h' rem he ur f the h s The cap 21 is normally locked against rotation by a pin 36 formed on the end of a springtfl secured to the interior wall of the barrel H) by rivets 23 adjacent the butt end l2. The sleeve 2 43 controls the locking and'unlocking of the cap 3] by cam action with the head of alug '30 relatively shorter than the lock pin 30 This lug 30? projects from the spring 3i} between the rivets and the pin 30, sothat whenthe sleeve Z lis pulled upward along the barrel Iii into a position over the index numerals, it engages lug 30 and forces the spring 30! inward and retracts Fig. '7.

4 the lock pin 30 from one of a plurality of openings or depressions in the interior surface of an annular skirt 3!] around the cap 21. These depressions are adapted to line up with the lead channels in magazine 25. When the cap 2'! is thus unlocked and turned the index pointer 26 is adapted to come opposite any one of the numbers formed on the upper end of the barrel H], which are visible through the transparent index ring 24. V I c There are a plurality of teeth 28* formed by reason of the notches 28 in sleeve 24, see These teeth, equal in number to the notches, are each formed with an outwardly facing shoulder 28, which shoulder 28 is engaged by a lug 36 on the underside of the pointer 26 to thereby lock the sleeve 24 in its uppermost position, until the cap 2'! is turned to align the pointer 26 with an index numeral on the barrel l0. When this cap 2? is tlius turned the dog or lug 31] drops into one .of. the notches 28 opposite the index number selected and the sleeve 24 be comes unlocked for movement downwardly along t e barrel iii. I

When the index pointer 26' is thus engaged in one of the notches 28s of thezindexring opposite a selected number thus indicates that one of the lead holder channels 3] formed in .the lead magazine 2,5 i ositioned opposite the clutch 2| of the lead carrier secured to theindex ring .24. Now all that is necessary to pickup and eject a lead from a lead channel to move it into writing posi tion at the point of the pencil is to slide the ring 24 downwardly along the barrel toward'the point of the pencil. As the ring 24 is moved forward along the barrel JD. thecap 2Tbecomes locked and the key i9 connected to shaft 20 travels in-the longitudinal slot L8. The clutchll with its resilient jaws, 21 and 2-2 grips at Hover the end of the piece of lead selected to cause the lead to be moved forward from the magazine intothe tip ll of the pencil to .a position beyond the tip end of the conical sleeve It as required forwrit! ing, see Figs. 2 and 7. After the lead has been thus projected to a desired writing position, the conical sleeve i4 is turned to cause the clutch fingers l3 of the barrel tip .I l to grip the lead and hold it firmly. The fingers .are best illus, trated in Fig. and are shown n gripp n p tion in Fig. 3 and in released position in Fig. 4. The lead magazinet25 is of novel construction and comprises in addition to the centrally ex.- tending opening for receiving the shaft 2.8 a plurality of radiallyarranged channels, such as 3!, b ve re ed to. see Figs. Sand 9 for exams ple. Each of these channels 3| is formed C011? orm in shape t the clutch jaws 21 and and have their respective bores fitted with a U-shaped ine w ich chi ms a d'nt w h ne c Cha 1 1 1 h mas ihe These u-shaped channel inings ee his; 9 be made to li ht y r p the l ad s 9 provideslight frictional en seme erewi h and h serv to retain the e ds p ac n crto bein picked up by he lutch .As th c tch 2! i fed erward o enga the end. at lead i1 r 1l l P a trh n u a sha p e tion tasser T se projecti ns 3.3 r e a du l, pu e as l a p a and extend toward the axis of theshait Zfland overlie the top opening of each lead holder chan- 1 1 1 o t at the d verging P t of e Je 2& and 22 are spread apart'by this projection as the clutch 2| is fed forward intoone of the channels. Th Pm id sfo the rounded porti s oft lutch to free y Pas around theupher n 9 e lead and when the clutch jaws 2| and 22 pass by the projection 33 these clutch jaws 2 l and 22, due to their yieldable resilient character, snap closed around the end of the lead. The continued forward movement of the clutch then carries the lead forward into the tip [I and lead writing position.

As shown in Fig. 8 these projections 33 may be formed from a separate disc 34 fixed within the bore of the barrel It just above the upper end of the lead magazine 25 or may be integral with barrel ID, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 so that the openings in the disc each registers with an opening or cylinder in the lead magazine. In addition to serving as means for opening or spreading apart the jaw of the clutch 2| to engage a lead these projections 33 also serve to release the jaws from around the end of the lead and rake out the lead from between the jaws as the lead and clutch are withdrawn from writing position to an inactive position. For example, when it is desired to use another lead all that is necessary is to pull the index sleeve 24 upward along the barrel toward the cap 2! so as to withdraw the lead from the pencil tip II and back into its particular lead channel. As this is done the upper end of the lead becomes engaged by the projection 33, which serves to rake out the lead from between the clutch jaws 2| and 22 and also serves to aid in this lead releasing action by again spreading the jaws 2 I and 22 apart.

' In Fig. 11 there is a slight modification of the magazine 25, that is, the disc 34 is eliminated and the projections 33 thereof are formed from the magazine per se. These projections are numbered 33 and extend into the bore of each lead holder channel 3| just as do the disc projections 33. This arrangement eliminates one part of the pencil and in some instances makes the manufacture more simple.

Operation From the foregoing description, it is believed that the operation of the pencil is reasonably clear. However, briefly describing the operation, the index ring 24 must be in its uppermost position on the pencil barrel In to unlock the cap 21 by retracting the lock pin 30 from one of, the cap skirt indentations by pushing in the lug 30 on the spring 3|) secured to the interior of the barrel adjacent the butt end l2.

When the cap 21 is unlocked it is turned to position the pointer 26 to select one of the leads from to 8 on the upper end of the barrel l under the transparent index ring 24. The outwardly facingshoulders 28 around the upper edge of the index ring 24 and the dog or lug 3|! on the underside of the pointer 26 prevent the ring 24 from being moved downward along the barrel, unless the dog 3|] is turned oil of a shoulder into one of the eight notches of the ring 24 to a selected lead position. It is, of course, to be remembered that turning of the cap 21 rotates the lead magazine 25 to thereby line up a selected lead channel with the lead carrier clutch 2| keyed to the index ring 24.

The index sleeve 24 is now pushed toward the point along the barrel Ill and the connecting key I!) in the barrel slot connected to shaft 20 of the lead carrier imparts movement to clutch 2| andcauses the clutch jaws 2 l and 22 to be spread apart by projections 33 at the mouth of the channel for subsequent snapped on engagement with the end of the lead selected. It is, of course, understood that turning of the cap 21 not limited thereto.

has previously turned the selected lead holding channel 3| of the lead magazine 25 into alignment with the clutch 2| of the non-rotatable lead carrier or plunger.

The shaft 20 of the lead plunger is flexible and resilient to permit it to be deflected by the conical bore of the tip II and thus direct the lead through the clutch fingers I3 and out the open restricted end of the conical clutch sleeve l4.

When the cap 21 is thus turned and the dog 3|) drops in one of the notches I to 8 the sleeve 24 becomes disengaged with one of the shoulders 28. This unlocks the sleeve 24 for movement downwardly along the barrel. Continued forward movement causes the lead to be projected from the tip of the barrel between the clutch fingers 3 and by a slight twist or turn of the conical sleeve I4 the lead is gripped by the fingers to hold it in projected writing position.

Thus, there is provided an automatic magazine pencil accurately calibrated for sequential selection and projection of a particular lead from any one of a plurality of lead holding channels in such a way as to make it practically impossible for a user of the pencil to operate the same except in the proper sequence. For example, the carrier must be in its uppermost inactive position before the selector mechanism is released; and until the selection is made the lead carrier is prevented from being moved to pick up and project a selected lead to writing position.

Also, the action of the lead clutch is entirely automatic as it is opened and closed by specially positioned projections in the mouth of each lead channel. i

Although only two embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the same is Various changes may be made inthe design and arrangement of the parts illustrated, as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. For a definition of the invention, reference should be had primarily to the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A magazine pencil comprising a barrel. having a conical tip formed with a plurality of flexible fingers for clutching lead projected to writing position and an open butt end, said barrel having an elongated slot extending from said butt end, a conical sleeve turnably mounted on the barrel tip for actuating said clutch fingers to lead engaging and disengaging positions, a turnable cap mounted over the said open butt end, a lead magazine turning shaft centrally extending from the inner side of the cap into the barrel, a lead magazine fixed to the end of the shaft opposite said cap having a plurality of radially arranged lead housing channels, whereby turning of the cap imparts rotation from the shaft to the magazine, a lead carrier reciprocally mounted in the barrel adjacent said shaft, an index ring mounted around the butt end of the barrel connected to the said lead carrier, an index pointer carried by said cap adapted to overlie said index ring, a plurality of notches formed in the rim of the said index ring adjacent the underside of the said cap, each notch being opposite a number indicative of a lead channel and spaced apart radially in registry with the position of each of said lead channels, a key connecting said index ring to said lead carrier, said key projecting through the elongated slot formed in the barrel from the inner bore of the ring outside the barrel to the lead carrier inside the barrel,

and a dog carried by the underside of said index pointer on the cap adapted to engage in any one of the :said notches in the index ring when selected, thereby positioning a, selected lead holdingchannel' opposite the lead carrierprior to each forward movementof the said reciprocable lead carrier to a lead clutching and projected writing position.

2. A magazine pencil comprising 'a barrel having a conical tip formed with a plurality of flexible fingers for clutching leadprojected to writing position and an open butt end, said barrel having an elongated slot extending from said butt end, a conical sleeve turnably mounted on said barrel tip for actuating said clutch fingers to lead V engaging and disengaging positions, a turnable cap mounted over the said open butt end, a lead magazine turning shaft centrally extending from the inner side of the cap into the barrel, a lead magazine fixed to the end of the shaft opposite Said cap having a plurality of radially arranged lead housing channels, whereby turning of the cap imparts rotation from the shaft to the magazine, a lead carrier reciprocably mounted in the barrel adjacent said shaft, an index ring mounted around the butt end of the barrel connected to the said lead carrier, an index pointer carried by said cap adapted to overlie said index ring, a plurality of notches formedin the rim of the said index ring adjacent the underside of the said cap, each notch being opposite and indicative of a lead channel number and spaced apart radially to register with the position of each of said lead channels, a keyislidable along said slot connecting said index ring to said leadcarrier, said key projecting from the inner surface of the ring outside the barrel through the slot to the lead carrier inside the barrel, a dog carried by the underside of said index pointer on the cap adapted to engage inone of the said notches in the index ring, to thereby position the lead carrier. opposite a selected lead holding channel prior to each forward movement of the said reciprocable lead carrier to a lead projected writing position, a series of blisters formed'around the outer surface of said conical barrel tip at the base of each finger and a cooperating depression formed in the inner bore of said tip enclosing conical sleeve for compressing the fingers into lead engagement.

3. A magazine pencil comprising a barrel having a tip formed with a plurality of flexible fingers for clutching lead projected to writing position and an open butt end, said barrel having an elongatedslot extending from said butt end, a conical sleeve 'turnably mounted and longitudinally movable over said barrel tip for actuating said clutch fingers to lead engaging and disengaging positions, a turnable can mounted over the said open butt end, a lead magazine turning shaft centrally extending from the inner side of the cap into the barrel, a lead magazine fixed to the end of the shaft opposite said cap having a plurality of radially arranged lead housing channels, whereby turning of the cap imparts rotation from the shaft to the magazine, a lead carrier reciprocably mounted in the barrel adjacent said shaft, lead release means fixed Within the barrel above said magazine for disengaging a selected lead from said lead carrier upon retraction of the said carrier, an index ring mounted around the butt end of the barrel connected to the said lead carrier, an index pointer carriedby said cap adapted to overlie said index ring, a plurality of notches formed Eli in the rim of'the said index ring adjacent the underside of the said cap, each notch bein positioned opposite a number and spacedapart radially to register with the position of each ofsaid lead channels, a key connecting said index ring to said lead carrier, said key projecting through the slot in the barrel from the inner bore of the ring outside the barrel to the lead carrier inside the barrel, and a dog carriedby the underside of said index pointer on the cap adapted to engage in one of the said notchesin the index ring, to thereby position the lead carrier opposite a selected lead holding channel prior to each forward movement of thesaid re: ciprocable lead carrier to a lead projected writing position.

, 4. A magazine pencil comprising a barrel have ing a conical tip formed with a plurality of flexible fingers for clutching lead projected to writing position and an open butt end, said barrel hav ing an elongated slot from said butt end, a conical sleeve turnably mounted and longitudinally movable over said barrel tip for actuating said clutch fingers to lead engaging and disengaging positions, .a turnable cap mounted over the said open butt end, a lead magazine turning shaft centrally I extending from the inner side of the cap into the barrel, a lead magazine fixed to the end of the shaft opposite said cap having a plurality of radially arranged lead housing channels, whereby turning of the capv imparts rotation from the shaft to the magazine, a lead carrier reciprocably mounted in the barrel adjacent said shaft, said lead carrier comprising resiliently yieldable lead grippers, a plurality of lead release projections positioned in the path of said reciprocable lead carrier adapted to disengage the said lead grippers from engagement with a selected lead, an index ring mounted around the butt end of the barrel connected to the said lead carrier, an index pointer carried by said cap adapted to overlie saidy-index ring, a plurality of notches formed in the rim of the said index ring adjacent the underside of the said cap, each notch being numbered and spaced apart radially to register with the position of each of said lead channels, .a key slidable in said barrel slot connecting said index ring to said lead carrier, said key projecting from the inner surface of the ring outside the barrel to the lead carrier inside the barrel, and a dog carried by the underside of said index pointer on the cap adapted to engage in one of the said notches in the index ring, to thereby position the lead carrier opposite a selected lead holding channel prior to each forward movement of the said reciprocable lead and the magazine, to thereby align a selected one of the channels of the magazine with the lead carrier, said lead carrier comprising a shaft operatively connected to said index means, a clutch mounted on the free end of said shaft, said clutch having yieldably resilient jaws, each oisaid jaws having a lead gripping portionsand flaring ends, and means formed adjacent the upper end of the said lead magazine adapted to engage between the said flaring ends of said jaws during a portion of the reciprocation of the said lead carrier to spread apart said jaws.

6. In a magazine lead pencil having a hollow barrel, a lead holding magazine having a plurality of radially positioned lead-holding channels, a lead retaining liner in each channel of the magazine, a forwardly movable and retractable lead carrier including resilient clutch jaws, and a disc fixed in the barrel having a plurality of radially positioned openings corresponding in number to the said lead channels and alignable therewith, said disc having a lead releasing projection in each opening, each of said lead releasing projections overhanging eaeh channel bore to release the lead from between a lead carrier clutch jaw when the said carrier is 10 indicating the position of each channel, said means comprising a reciprocating non-rotatable circumferentially marked ring surrounding the barrel and a pointer overlapping the same, a reciprocable lead carrier fixed to said ring of said index means for imparting reciprocation to the carrier, a cap rotatably mounted over the top of the barrel, said pointer being carried by the cap, and a shaft rigidly connected to the center underside of the cap and to the center of the said lead holder for imparting a selected rotation of the cap to the lead holder and the pointer with respect to a mark on said ring to thereby position a selected lead channel by rotating the lead holder into alignment with said lead carrier,

SAMUEL B. HARRIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,516,392 Mabee Nov. 18, 1924 1,964,154 Hertz June 26, 1934 

